Once she had their attention, she spoke; it was a statement rather than a question: “You know what mum likes: she likes to look at the world.”

She likes to look at the world.

There it is, right there.

That slice of clarity amongst the chaos.

The ray of sunshine through the clouds.

A hint of hope through the anxiety.

It’s been a tough month, and I spent the time being cranky, rousey and introspective; consumed with my own worries rather than looking for the beauty around me. Looking around. Looking out. Looking up.

My daughter served as a reminder of who I am, who I want to be, who I can be. I needed that. Despite the failures of this last month, the positive moments invested are still there, and they came back to me in that one line.

Later, my eldest daughter asked me: “What are some things you like Mum?”

I said, “Well, I do love tea cups, old books and shoes, definitely shoes, but I think what Jim-Girl said is the best: I like to look at the world and see all the beauty in it.”

Kelly loves life at both ends of the spectrum: wearing high heel shoes one day and hiking boots the next; sipping tea out of a pretty cup and slurping hot coffee from a camping mug; challenging herself physically and stopping for quiet unhurried moments to feel the wind on her face. Kelly and her husband Matthew seek to live a fun and adventurous life with their four children and pet bird.